Jekyll2018-02-27T01:49:01+02:00https://www.agrohelperhq.com//AgroHelperHQAgroHelper siteSvetlin Simonyansvetlins@agrohelperhq.comIntroducing the Health Map: process aerial crop images in real time2017-12-15T00:00:00+02:002017-12-15T00:00:00+02:00https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agrohelper/2017/12/15/Launch<p>We are excited to announce the official launch of AgroHelper’s platform for processing of aerial images and its new feature: <strong>The Health Map. Remote crop stress detection has never been faster.</strong></p>
<p>The Health Map pinpoints areas with potential crop health issues in real time, seconds after the moment your drone captured farm field images are uploaded in the cloud based web app.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="and-its-free-try-it-now-no-credit-card-required">And…. it’s FREE! <a href="https://app.agrohelperhq.com/users/new" target="_blank">Try it now</a>. No credit card required.</h2>
<p><br /></p>
<p>Before diving into the details, we would like to do something important.</p>
<p>First, we want to express our gratitude to all the people that helped us test and refine our software during our private beta last season. Specifically, big shout-out to our friend Andrei from <strong>MinuteDrone</strong> and to Radostin Kanazirov – a potato producer from Samokov, Bulgaria.</p>
<p>We listened hard to the feedback from the field and concluded that, at end of the day,</p>
<p><strong>LESS IS MORE</strong>.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="heres-why">Here’s why.</h2>
<p>Depending on the crop, agricultural producers survey their land several times per week. For example, a potato producer is going in the field at least 3 to 4 times per week during the growing stage of the crop. No surprise. That’s why drones and satellites used for remote aerial crop surveillance save considerable time and resources to farmers.</p>
<p>The reason why potato producers are going in the field at least 3 to 4 times per week, is that there are pests, like the Colorado potato beetle, that spread very fast and destroy hundreds of hectares per day. As a matter of fact, Colorado beetle adults are capable of consuming 10 cm2 of foliage per day. Now, imagine what hundreds of thousands or even millions of them can do (one adult female can deposit over 300 eggs on the surface of the host plant’s leaves during a period of four to five weeks).</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-08/Image_2.jpg" alt="Agrohelper Application" /></p>
<p>So, it’s <strong>important</strong> that such <strong>pests</strong> are <strong>detected and contained as soon as possible</strong> by the farmer.**</p>
<p>State-of-the-art software solutions for processing of drone captured farm field images first use a process called <strong>“stitching”</strong> to create an orthophoto map from hundreds of individual overlapping photos and only after that apply algorithms, such as NDVI, to detect crop health.</p>
<p><strong>What’s stitching?</strong> Each individual photo captured by the drone camera contains different terrain features like crop rows, tractor trails or buildings. As the photos overlap, each individual feature is captured multiple times from different angles and perspectives. Stitching, as the name suggest, is a mathematical process that matches the photos to solve the puzzle and create one high-resolution map.</p>
<p><strong>The problem</strong> is that <strong>stitching is both slow and unreliable</strong>. On average, it takes 5 to 10 hours to stitch a map from the images captured during one mission and a single cloud in the sky can sabotage its delivery.
In practice, this means that you execute a survey mission in the morning and you can act based on the results the next day. As we already highlighted in our Colorado beetle example, a <strong>day late could equal hundred hectares destroyed</strong> and a big hole in the farmer’s annual revenues.</p>
<p>The solution we found: <strong>LESS IS MORE</strong>. We eliminated stitching from the process. Agrohelper’s proprietary software applies NDVI or similar algorithms and pinpoints areas with potential crop health issues without creating a high-resolution map first. So, our product needs less than 10 hours to get the job done. <strong>In fact, it can do it in real time</strong>.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 id="agrohelpers-health-map-feature-indicates-zones-with-potential-issues-like-this">AgroHelper’s Health Map feature indicates zones with potential issues like this:</h3>
<p><br /></p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-08/Image_3.jpg" alt="Agrohelper Application" /></p>
<p>The output clearly <strong>indicates the zones with crop health issues that need to be ground-truthed today</strong>.
Of course, we maintain our stitching feature and the platform can produce orthophoto maps on demand. However, we argue that there is a huge use case for our Health Map – you can <strong>spot the problem on time and apply targeted action the same day</strong>.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="would-you-like-to-test-it-its-free-try-it-now-no-credit-card-required">Would you like to test it? It’s free –<a href="https://app.agrohelperhq.com/users/new" target="_blank">try it now</a>. No credit card required.</h2>
<p><br /></p>Svetlin Simonyansvetlins@agrohelperhq.comWe are excited to announce the official launch of AgroHelper’s platform for processing of aerial images and its new feature: The Health Map. Remote crop stress detection has never been faster.THE TOP 3 HIGH-END NEAR INFRARED DRONE SENSORS2017-12-01T00:00:00+02:002017-12-01T00:00:00+02:00https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/2017/12/01/the-top-3-high-end-near-infrared-drone-sensors<p>The next agricultural revolution is here: drones equipped with high-tech sensors are becoming the new tool of preference for farmers around the globe.</p>
<p>Although the sector is highly automated today, we all know that agricultural producers (unlike other industries) don’t crave for fancy toys and new gadgets. Being in the field and working hard all day, what you need is technology that helps you get results: increase yields and decrease inputs while effectively preventing pests and crop diseases.</p>
<p>Like any innovative technology in the traditional agricultural sector, drones are taking their time to become widely spread, as farmers need proof before they invest. However, the ROI for drones in agriculture is compelling and farms of any size are starting to take advantage of the UAV technology.</p>
<p>There are many <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/2017/04/11/top-3-practical-ways-to-use-drones-in-agriculture/" target="_blank">precision agriculture applications</a>, the most seducing being to detect weeds, pests, fungi and crop infestation earlier, faster and cheaper than traditional crop scouting.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>To assess the health of crops from the sky, you need a:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>drone</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>camera sensor</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>post processing <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/" target="_blank">software</a> that turns the images captured by the camera into crop health maps</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><br />
The types of crop analysis you can do depend on the functions of your camera.</p>
<p>You can check <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/documentations/getting-started/" target="_blank">here</a> how you can apply the Visible Atmospherically Resistant Index (VARI) to images and video captured with a standard camera.</p>
<p>To spot problems before the human eye can see them, you need a camera sensor able to register wavelengths that are invisible to the human eye such as the near infrared (NIR) spectral band.</p>
<p>As this technology is becoming more and more popular, lots of different manufacturers offer professional cameras specifically designed to be carried by drones and to capture quality data.</p>
<p><strong>In this blog post, we want to give a general overview of the top 3 NIR sensors available on the market today.</strong></p>
<p><em>Please note that we are not affiliated with any camera provider and thus we’ll not make any specific purchase recommendations. AgroHelper is an independent software provider and as such we are interested in learning and sharing knowledge to help farmers and drone operators get the most of their data.
If you already used any of the cameras mentioned in this blog post or have a recommendation for other NIR drone sensors, we’ll be happy to hear from you in the comments.</em></p>
<p>Without further ado, here are the top 3 high-end near-infrared cameras for drones in agriculture:</p>
<h2 id="1-micasense-rededgetm">1. MicaSense RedEdgeTM</h2>
<p>RedEdgeTM is an advanced multispectral camera specially designed for small unmanned aircraft systems. It’s a rugged, built-to-last, professional multispectral sensor that captures specific wavebands needed for accurate plant health analysis. With various integration options, it’s also one of the most flexible solutions on the market. Additionally, it has optimized GSD, a low power requirement, and a global shutter for distortion-free images.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-07/1_9C4e5GlJc-w8GxC4ItncSg.png" alt="MicaSense RedEdgeTM" /></p>
<p><strong>Specifications:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Weight: 150 g (5.3 oz)</li>
<li>Dimensions: 12.1 cm x 6.6 cm x 4.6 cm (4.8 in x 2.6 in x 1.8 in)</li>
<li>External Power: 5.0 V DC, 4 W nominal</li>
<li>Spectral Bands: Blue, green, red, red edge, near IR (narrowband)</li>
<li>Ground Sample Distance: 8 cm per pixel (per band) at 120 m (~400 ft) AGL</li>
<li>Capture Rate: 1 capture per second (all bands), 12-bit RAW</li>
<li>Interface: Serial, Ethernet, GPS</li>
<li>Field of View: 47.2 º HFOV</li>
</ul>
<p>Price: $5195</p>
<h2 id="2-parrot-sequoia">2. Parrot Sequoia:</h2>
<p>The Parrot Sequoia multispectral sensor is offering a comprehensive, adaptable solution that is compatible with most types of drones. With its two sensors, multispectral and sunshine, Sequoia analyses plants’ vitality by capturing the amount of light they absorb and reflect.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-07/1_0Pilx31xM9iGSyQwUVk7FQ.png" alt="Parrot Sequoia" /></p>
<p><strong>Specifications:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Body</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>4 spectral cameras 1.2 Mpx 10 bits Global shutter: Green, Red, Red-edge and NIR</li>
<li>Up to 1 FPS</li>
<li>RGB Camera 16 Mpx; Rolling shutter</li>
<li>Configuration over Wi-Fi</li>
<li>IMU + Magnetometer</li>
<li>64 GB</li>
<li>5W (~12W peak)</li>
<li>72g</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Sunshine sensor</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>4 spectral sensors with the same filters as the body</li>
<li>GPS</li>
<li>IMU + Magnetometer</li>
<li>SD card</li>
<li>1W</li>
<li>35 g</li>
</ul>
<p>Price: $3500</p>
<h2 id="3-the-sentera-double-4k">3. The Sentera Double 4k</h2>
<p>The Sentera Double 4K is a small, fully customizable twin-imager sensor that is universally compatible with any UAV. Fitting in the footprint of a GoPro® HERO 4, the rugged, high-throughput Double 4K Sensor is designed for use in harsh environments with configuration options that make it ideal for use in agriculture</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-07/1_QqZq2sdp23JqJvSjGaKsKw.png" alt="The Sentera Double 4k" /></p>
<p><strong>Specifications:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Sensors 12.3MP BSI CMOS RGB 12.3MP BSI CMOS RG+NIR — NDVI Capable; ERS correction ;Sony Exmor R™ IMX377</li>
<li>Sensor Size 2.32” x 1.61” x 1.75” (59mm x 40.9mm x 44.5mm); Fits the GoPro® Hero4 footprint</li>
<li>Weight 80 grams</li>
<li>Power 8W typical / 12W maximum</li>
<li>Image format JPEG, TIFF, RAW</li>
<li>Data capture 12.3MP Stills 4K Ultra HD video @ 30fps 1080p/720p Video; H.264 encoding</li>
<li>Field of view 4K image/video ranges 15° — 60° HFOV 1080p ranges 7.5° — 60° HFOV</li>
<li>Interfaces Ethernet, Serial/UART. USB 3.0, I2C, GPIO; Web-based camera configuration; Pushbutton control for single photo and mode select</li>
<li>Control Open ICD for triggering and metadata logging over serial or IP, compatible with: Lockheed Martin Kestrel™ autopilot; PIXHAWK™ autopilot; MAVLink™ based systems; Customized ICD options available</li>
<li>Storage 64GB SD card, standard and removable</li>
</ul>
<p>Price: $4.299</p>
<p>As you noticed these are high-end expensive cameras. However, many industry experts argue that the job can be done with less investment by using a normal camera such as the Go Pro Hero modified to capture near infrared wavelengths.</p>
<p>Let us know what you think? What camera are you using? Do you have any recommendations for affordable yet effective solutions?</p>
<p>Would you like to try your camera with our cutting-edge <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/">software</a>?</p>
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</section>Svetlin Simonyansvetlins@agrohelperhq.comThe next agricultural revolution is here: drones equipped with high-tech sensors are becoming the new tool of preference for farmers around the globe.Drones in the EU - what rules apply where ?2017-06-22T00:00:00+03:002017-06-22T00:00:00+03:00https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/drone/legal/2017/06/22/drones-in-the-eu-what-rules-apply-where<p>The agricultural drone market in the European Union (EU) is developing at unprecedented levels.
However, there’s one missing ingredient for a fully functioning EU-wide common drone market: harmonized rules.</p>
<p>Small drones are largely <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/legal/2017/04/24/is-an-eu-wide-regulatory-framework-beneficial-for-drone-operators/">unregulated</a> at the EU level. Following a request from the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/aeronautics/rpas_en">European Commission</a>, EU Member States and industry stakeholders, the <a href="https://www.easa.europa.eu/">European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)</a> started to work on a <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/legal/2017/05/09/the-EU-is-developing-a-common-legal-framework-on-small-drones/">proposal</a> for an EU wide small drones regulatory framework. However, given the complexity of the EU legislative process the proposed common rules will not enter into force in the next 2 years.</p>
<p>In the meantime, national rules (if any) apply.</p>
<p>Here’s a list of the member states that have already adopted a national regulatory framework: France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, and the United Kingdom.</p>
<p>In this blog post, we’ll cover France, Germany and Sweden — 3 of the biggest drone markets in Europe.</p>
<h2 id="france">France</h2>
<p>The use of civilian drones in France is governed by two regulations entered into force in the beginning of 2016.
The use of civilian drone is separated into three categories:</p>
<ul>
<li>hobby and competition flying;</li>
<li>flying for experimental and testing purposes</li>
<li>“particular activities,” which essentially includes the commercial use of drones.</li>
</ul>
<p>Drones of all categories are subject to strict geographic restrictions. It is prohibited to fly drones over public areas of urban zones without governmental approval.</p>
<p>For flying over private properties, the owner’s authorization is required.</p>
<p>The good news for the professionals flying drones over agricultural areas with the aim to <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/2017/04/11/top-3-practical-ways-to-use-drones-in-agriculture/">detect and prevent crop health issues</a> is that <a href="https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000031679868&amp;dateTexte=20170616">softer rules apply</a> for non-populated areas:</p>
<ul>
<li>if you fly under 150 meters and within visual line of sight (VLOS), no prior notification and mission specific authorization by local authorities is required</li>
<li>if you fly outside of VLOS, below 150 meters above the ground, you can still execute a mission without prior authorization, in the event your drone is under 2 kg.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="germany">Germany</h2>
<p>The German Air Traffic Act defines unmanned aerial systems commonly called “drones,” as “unmanned aerial vehicles” (UAV), including their control stations, which are not used for hobby or recreational purposes.</p>
<p>Pilots of private civilian drones less than 5 kg are subject to no specific aviation legal requirements.</p>
<p>The operation of a UAS that weighs more than 5 kg requires authorization from the aviation authority of the relevant German state.</p>
<p>Operating a UAS that weighs more than 25 kg or operating it outside of VLOS is generally prohibited.</p>
<p>From October 1, 2017, onwards, operators of drones and model aircraft that weigh more than two kilograms will need certification to demonstrate that the operator has specialized knowledge of the operation of UAS and their legal framework.</p>
<h2 id="sweden">Sweden</h2>
<p>The design, manufacture, modification, maintenance and activities with civil (UAS) Sweden is regulated by the Swedish Transport Agency´s regulations TSFS 2009:88.</p>
<p>Drones used for commercial and research purposes, and drones flown outside the sight of the operator, require licenses from the Swedish Transport Agency and the payment of a fee. In addition, there is differentiation of safety distances based on the weight of the drone.</p>
<p>Drones must only be operated during daylight within visible range from the operator, maximum 120 meters off the ground and 50 meters away from other people, buildings, and other objects or areas worthy of protection.</p>
<p>The legality of using drones for commercial photography purposes is currently pending before the Administrative Supreme Court. Currently, the Swedish government has proposed a legislation to exempt the private use of drone cameras from the permit requirements. The new legislation is expected to become enforceable by August 2017.</p>
<p><strong>You want to have the latest news on drone legislation in Europe ?</strong></p>
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</section>Svetlin Simonyansvetlins@agrohelperhq.comThe agricultural drone market in the European Union (EU) is developing at unprecedented levels.
However, there’s one missing ingredient for a fully functioning EU-wide common drone market: harmonized rules.The EU is developing a common legal framework on small drones2017-05-09T00:00:00+03:002017-05-09T00:00:00+03:00https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/legal/2017/05/09/the-EU-is-developing-a-common-legal-framework-on-small-drones<h2 id="background">Background</h2>
<p>Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as Drones are being increasingly used in the European Union. The economic sector is <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/2017/03/10/the-drone-revolution/">growing</a> and brings new jobs, but under a <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/legal/2017/04/24/is-an-eu-wide-regulatory-framework-beneficial-for-drone-operators/">fragmented European regulatory framework</a>.
<br /></p>
<p>Basic national safety rules apply, but the rules differ across the EU and a number of key safeguards are not addressed in a coherent way.</p>
<p><br />
That’s why, following a request from the European Commission, EU Member States and industry stakeholders, the <a href="https://www.easa.europa.eu/">European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)</a> started to work on a proposal for an EU wide small drones regulatory framework.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p><em>The framework establishes three categories with different safety requirements, proportionate to the risk:</em></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>“open”</strong> (low risk) is an Unmanned Aircraft (UA) operation category that, considering the risks involved, does not require a prior authorization by a national competent authority before the operation takes place;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>“specific”</strong> (medium risk) is an UA operation category that, considering the risks involved, requires an authorization by a national competent authority before the operation takes place and takes into account the mitigation measures identified in an operational risk assessment, except for certain standard scenarios where a declaration by the operator is sufficient;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>“certified”</strong> (high risk) is a UA operation category that, considering the risks involved, requires the certification of the Unmanned Arial System (UAS), a licensed remote pilot and an operator approved by a national competent authority, to ensure an appropriate level of safety.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="timeline">Timeline</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Following the publication of a Technical Opinion in December 2015, a <a href="https://www.easa.europa.eu/system/files/dfu/UAS%20Prototype%20Regulation%20final.pdf">‘Prototype’ regulation</a> was drafted for the ‘open’ and ‘specific’ categories.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>In August 2016, the ‘Prototype’ regulation was published.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>A considerable number of comments has been received leading to the publication of a <strong>document on 5 May 2017 called a Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA)</strong>.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><em>The NPA has taken into consideration the developments in the international arena e.g. work done in the <a href="https://www.icao.int/Pages/default.aspx">International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)</a>; in the <a href="http://jarus-rpas.org/">Joint Authorities for the Rulemaking of Unmanned Systems (JARUS)</a> and of course in the USA (<a href="https://www.faa.gov/">Federal Aviation Administration- FAA</a>).</em></p>
<h2 id="the-proposed-rules-on-small-drones">The proposed rules on small drones:</h2>
<p>You can find a summary of the proposal in the table below:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/images/blogpost-05/1-7kH3w93IGmGqfzVKXnxnAw.png"><img src="/images/blogpost-05/1-7kH3w93IGmGqfzVKXnxnAw.png" alt="unmanned aerial vehicles" /></a></p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="next-steps-have-your-say-until-12-august-2017">Next Steps: Have your say until 12 August 2017</h2>
<p>All interested parties are welcome to comment this proposal from 12 May until 12 August 2017: you can submit your comments <a href="https://hub.easa.europa.eu/crt/">here</a>.</p>
<p>As agricultural drone software provider, we at <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com">AgroHelper</a> believe that industry specialists shall have their say — please share this article and let the drone operator’s voice be heard by legislators!</p>
<p><br /></p>
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</section>Svetlin Simonyansvetlins@agrohelperhq.comBackground
Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as Drones are being increasingly used in the European Union. The economic sector is growing and brings new jobs, but under a fragmented European regulatory framework.Is an EU wide regulatory framework beneficial for drone operators ?2017-04-24T00:00:00+03:002017-04-24T00:00:00+03:00https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/legal/2017/04/24/is-an-eu-wide-regulatory-framework-beneficial-for-drone-operators<p>The European Union is about to introduce a common regulatory framework.</p>
<p><strong>What are the potential implications for drone operators ?</strong></p>
<p>We’ll present the status quo and track future developments in a series of blog posts.</p>
<iframe width="100%" height="500" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UQcv7ccbxqg" frameborder="0"> </iframe>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="trends">Trends</h2>
<p>The drone industry is extremely innovative and regulations will be always superseded by new developments. Innovation is both in terms of type of machines and type of operations.
The development of Unmanned Aircraft, commonly known as ‘Drones’, has opened a promising new chapter in the history of aerospace. The technology for civil drones is maturing and there is potential for significant growth and job creation. On some estimates in the next 10 years it could be worth 10% of the aviation market — that’s €15 billion per year. <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/2017/03/10/the-drone-revolution/">Learn more</a>.</p>
<h2 id="international-context">International context</h2>
<p>At United Nations level the rules covering drones are currently set by the <a href="http://www.icao.int/Pages/default.aspx">International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)</a>, the UN body dealing with civil aviation. ICAO allows drones operations or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) provided a national authority gives a specific authorization, i.e. authorizing the use of drones in a non-segregated airspace (this means in the same airspace also used by ‘manned’ air traffic).
Such authorizations are typically restricted to specific operations under specific conditions in order to avoid safety hazards. ICAO has now set up a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Panel (RPASP), which shall produce draft Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) for drones by 2018 focusing its work on international operations.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-03/blog-cover.jpg" alt="unmanned aerial vehicles" /></p>
<h2 id="european-context">European context</h2>
<p>Civil drones are increasingly being used in Europe, in countries such as Sweden, France and the UK, in different sectors, but under a fragmented regulatory framework.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Currently, the <a href="https://europa.eu/european-union/index_en">European Union (EU)</a> does not regulate the civilian use of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) with a mass of 150 kg or less. Such aircraft are governed by national rules adopted by the EU Member States.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>UAVs above the threshold of 150 kg fall within the mandate of the <a href="https://www.easa.europa.eu/">European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)</a> and are covered by the current governing Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 on Common Rules in the Field of Civil Aviation (referred to as the ‘Basic Regulation’).</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="a-segregated-market">A segregated market</h2>
<p>Several Member States, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, have already adopted national rules.
<br /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/blog/"><strong>We will cover national legal frameworks in future blog posts.</strong></a>
<br /></p>
<p>However, national authorizations do not benefit from mutual recognition and do not allow for European wide activities, either to produce or to operate drones.</p>
<p>Because of differing national rules on criteria and conditions for the operation of drones and related safety issues, operators must apply for a separate authorization in each EU Member State. The authorization procedures do not provide a coherent framework, with the necessary legal safeguards in relation to concerns about safety, security, privacy, liability to be built in.</p>
<p>In addition there is also need of further development of the operational and technical rules for drones, in order to ensure that civil drones can fly like “normal” air traffic and be integrated among ‘normally piloted’ aircraft in non-segregated airspace without affecting the safety and the operation of the whole aviation system.</p>
<p><em>The absence of a clear regulatory framework does not currently allow the creation of a truly European market for drone services and aircraft, which limits the potential for jobs and growth creation in this new sector of the economy.</em></p>
<p><strong>Do you want to learn what the EU has done about that ? <a href="https://www.agrohelperhq.com/blog/">Follow our blog’s</a> regulatory series.</strong></p>
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</section>Svetlin Simonyansvetlins@agrohelperhq.comThe European Union is about to introduce a common regulatory framework.AgroHelper Private Beta Release2017-04-20T00:00:00+03:002017-04-20T00:00:00+03:00https://www.agrohelperhq.com/beta/2017/04/20/agroHelper-private-beta-release<h2 id="big-fat-thank-you"><strong>Big Fat Thank You!</strong></h2>
<p>If you are reading this blog post, you signed up for our private beta and we are enormously grateful.
You’re probably wondering: who are these guys, what exactly are they doing and .. WHY?
<br /></p>
<p><strong>That’s good cause we just wanted to share this with you:</strong></p>
<p>We are a team of young tech enthusiasts from Bulgaria. We have extensive experience in Coding, UX design and… yes! Agriculture.</p>
<p>Our private beta release date is approaching and we want to keep you updated. Here is what the selected early members will get:</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="1-simple-user-flow-and-great-ux-design">1. SIMPLE USER FLOW AND GREAT UX DESIGN:</h2>
<p>We value your time. Focus on what you are doing best: fly your drone more instead of playing Sherlock Holmes with hidden menus and buttons.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="2-upload-images-to-the-web-platform">2. UPLOAD IMAGES TO THE WEB PLATFORM:</h2>
<p>Capture overlapping images of a farming field and upload to our platform.</p>
<p>We’re talking about big size files. Don’t worry if the uploading process is interrupted in case you lose internet connection, there is a power supply cut or you just hit the wrong button — yeah it happens to everyone :)</p>
<p><em>We got you covered. You can resume your upload from where it got interrupted.</em></p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="3-stitch-images-into-orthomosaic-maps">3. STITCH IMAGES INTO ORTHOMOSAIC MAPS:</h2>
<p>If we can’t stitch it, nobody can.</p>
<p>We are aware that the state of the art in stitching drone captured images into maps is not advanced enough to cover your needs.</p>
<p>If you have already used the platforms of our competitors, you know that despite the advertisements the process is slow and there are multiple factors that can prevent the flawless stitching of a set of drone captured images.</p>
<p>This is where we count on YOUR support. Give us your hands-on feedback and we’ll build together the best stitching machine on earth.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="4-apply-ndvi-analysis-to-the-orthomosaic-map">4. APPLY NDVI ANALYSIS TO THE ORTHOMOSAIC MAP:</h2>
<p><em>NDVI= (NIR-RED) / (NIR+RED): The algorithm is sitting since the early 70’s</em></p>
<p>The difference is that, today you have your drone and your near-infrared camera. Unleash it’s power with the touch of a button. Generate your health crop analysis to rapidly pinpoint issues on the farm field, such as weeds, pests and fungi.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="5-watch-ndvi-video">5. WATCH NDVI VIDEO</h2>
<p>Don’t have the time to wait for stitching? We understand your pain.
AgroHelper platform allows you to upload a near-infrared captured video and watch it’s NDVI version instantaneously while tracking the position of your drone on the map.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="6-is-that-all">6. IS THAT ALL???</h2>
<p>Hell No!! We are currently working on a killer feature that will turn the drone agriculture industry on its head.</p>
<p>We will keep you updated in our next private blog posts</p>
<p>And again WHY we аre doing all this?</p>
<p>In 2017 we are used to get information easily on the internet, learn new skills and apply them immediately. When we first approached the drone industry we were astonished to discover how unclear it is.</p>
<p>Have you ever had the feeling that you try to understand something and you turn in a vicious circle between the websites of a handful of providers and their supposedly “independent” blogs?</p>
<p>Well, we are here to break the dogma. Tell your friends, get your drones out and let’s roll!</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<p>The AgroHelper Team</p>
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</section>Svetlin Simonyansvetlins@agrohelperhq.comBig Fat Thank You!
If you are reading this blog post, you signed up for our private beta and we are enormously grateful.
You’re probably wondering: who are these guys, what exactly are they doing and .. WHY?Top 3 Practical Ways to use Drones in Agriculture2017-04-11T00:00:00+03:002017-04-11T00:00:00+03:00https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/2017/04/11/top-3-%20practical-ways-to-use%20drones-in-agriculture<p>The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations projects that by 2050 humanity’s ranks will likely have grown to nearly 10 billion people.
Given the limited scope of expanding the arable land, a legitimate question is: where will our food come from?
Well, farmers will need to produce more with less while preserving our environment for future generations. And society as a whole has a duty to help them achieve this.
Although agriculture is perceived as a fairly traditional economic sector, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precision_agriculture">precision agriculture</a> technologies have already boosted crop yields significantly in the last decades.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p><strong>What else can be done? What drones have to offer to agriculture? You might argue: UAVs have been around for about a <a href="http://localhost:4000/uavs/agriculture/drone/2017/03/10/the-drone-revolution/">century</a>, so what’s new?</strong></p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>Robust investments in the commercial drone sector have made the technology cheaper, lighter, safer and more sophisticated. Drones can fly on autopilot. Last but not least, there are affordable Near Infrared Cameras on the market.
The unique combination of the above-mentioned factors makes possible the commercial utilization of a technology developed by <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/MeasuringVegetation/">NASA</a> more than 30 years ago.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>In an effort to monitor major fluctuations in vegetation and understand how they affect the environment, in the 1980’s scientists began using satellite remote sensors to measure and map the density of green vegetation over the Earth.
They observed the distinct colors (wavelengths) of visible and near-infrared sunlight reflected by the plants and applied a vegetation index called <strong>Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)</strong>.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-02/1-WPvhYSN_yhz8F2gFGdJ6cA.jpeg" alt="NDVI" /></p>
<p class="caption">NDVI is calculated from the visible and near-infrared light reflected by vegetation. Healthy vegetation (left) absorbs most of the visible light that hits it, and reflects a large portion of the near-infrared light. Unhealthy or sparse vegetation (right) reflects more visible light and less near-infrared light. The numbers on the figure above are representative of actual values, but real vegetation is much more varied. (Illustration by Robert Simmon). Photo courtesy of NASA
T</p>
<p><strong>Today, a drone equipped with a near infrared (NIR) camera becomes the gold standard in crop surveying.</strong></p>
<p>Below are the top 3 practical ways growers can use drones and NDVI cameras to ease their lives, cut costs and improve yields.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="1-crop-scout-faster-and-cheaper">1. CROP SCOUT FASTER AND CHEAPER</h2>
<p>Crop scouting, also known as field scouting, is the very basic action of traveling through a crop field while making frequent stops for observations. Traditional methods include walking and driving a 4x4 truck or a tractor through the field and observing plants manually.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>With the help of an Unmanned Arial Vehicle, farmers can observe hundreds of hectares within hours. On the one hand, they get a better areal picture of the entire field without walking through and damaging the crops. On the other, there is a great return on investment for big farms, as gasoline is eliminated from the equation.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="2-detect-weeds-pests-fungi-and-infestation-earlier">2. DETECT WEEDS, PESTS, FUNGI AND INFESTATION EARLIER</h2>
<p>Using a drone mapping software to apply health crop analysis allows to rapidly pinpoint issues on a farm field, such as weeds, pests and fungi.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>The earlier you catch the problem, the cheaper to contain it. Once you identify a spot, let’s say the size of a dinner table, you can fix it right away, as opposed to having it spread. This leads to big time and labor savings. And farmers know that some infestations can take the entire farming land in just 2 days.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 id="3-decrease-inputs">3. DECREASE INPUTS</h2>
<p>NDVI drone maps provide precise data on a granular level. You can see your farm from the sky but also zoom in to few centimeters above the plants.
That information allows to make informed decisions. Growers can make targeted nutrient or pesticides applications and generate variable rate prescriptions. And using less chemicals and inputs is not only more efficient from the cost perspective — it also allows to preserve the land for future generations.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p><strong>Ready to join the drone revolution ?</strong></p>
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</section>Svetlin Simonyansvetlins@agrohelperhq.comThe Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations projects that by 2050 humanity’s ranks will likely have grown to nearly 10 billion people.
Given the limited scope of expanding the arable land, a legitimate question is: where will our food come from?
Well, farmers will need to produce more with less while preserving our environment for future generations. And society as a whole has a duty to help them achieve this.
Although agriculture is perceived as a fairly traditional economic sector, precision agriculture technologies have already boosted crop yields significantly in the last decades.The Drone Revolution2017-03-10T00:00:00+02:002017-03-10T00:00:00+02:00https://www.agrohelperhq.com/uavs/agriculture/drone/2017/03/10/the-drone-revolution<h2 id="the-origin-of-drones">The origin of drones</h2>
<p>It all started in Madison Square Garden where Nicola Tesla staged a scientific tour de force during the Electrical Exhibition of 1898. The demonstration was completely beyond the generally accepted limits of technology at this time. His invention took the form of a radio-controlled boat, a heavy, low-lying, steel craft about 120 cm long. Tesla’s boat carried several large batteries on board. Radio signals controlled switches, which energized the boat’s propeller and rudder. <a href="http://www.pbs.org/tesla/ins/lab_remotec.html">More Info</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-01/tesla-remote-630.jpg" alt="Man" /></p>
<p class="caption"> Source: https://www.engadget.com/2014/01/19/nikola-teslas-remote-control-boat/</p>
<p>Tesla showcased his ability to maneuver the tiny ship with a small radio transmitting control box and even flash its lights on and off.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-01/tesla-cartoon-630.jpg" alt="Man" /></p>
<h2 id="the-drone-revolution-from-war-to-commercial-applications">The drone revolution: from war to commercial applications.</h2>
<p>Newspaper headlines focused on the use of Tesla’s device as a wirelessly controlled torpedo, and as you can imagine the military has been a catalyst over the years for the development of UAV technology. From the beginning of the 20th century to present days, drones are being used for delivering of bombs and surveillance.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-01/z-dro27_42.jpg" alt="Man" /></p>
<p class="caption">1940: Actor and hobbyist Reginald Denny sells 15,000 radio-controlled target drones to the U.S. military to train anti-aircraft gunners for World War II. Source: http://fortune.com/2014/10/09/a-brief-history-of-drones/</p>
<p>Photographer David Conover snaps images of Norma Jeane Dougherty—soon to be known as Marilyn Monroe—working at a wartime assembly plant. On her workbench: a half-assembled drone.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-01/dro27_3.jpg" alt="Man" /></p>
<p>Despite the obvious military applications of his invention of the “remote control”, back in 1898 Tesla made a case about the commercial use of unmanned vehicles. According to Margaret Cheney’s “Tesla: A Man Out of Time”, when asked about the boat’s potential as an explosive-delivery system, Tesla responded:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“You do not see there a wireless torpedo; you see there the first of a race of robots, mechanical men which will do the laborious work of the human race.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Today, like the internet and GPS before them, drones are evolving beyond their military applications to become powerful business tools.
UAVs already made the transition to the consumer market as the technology is cheaper, lighter, safer and more sophisticated. Flight, speed, dramatic photography – it’s easy to see why drones appeal to consumers.
Professional UAV applications are also developing rapidly and drones are currently being used in a variety of industries, including agriculture, energy, utilities, mining, construction, real estate, news media, and film production.
Venture capitalists have invested nearly a billion dollars into new companies that manufacture drones spread all over the <a href="https://www.cbinsights.com/blog/drones-deals-top-companies-2016/">world</a>.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-01/Drones-Annual-11.22.16.png" alt="Man" /></p>
<p>The drone trade association, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International ( AUVSI ), <a href="https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/AUVSI/958c920a-7f9b-4ad2-9807-f9a4e95d1ef1/UploadedImages/New_Economic%20Report%202013%20Full.pdf">forecasts</a> over $80 billion will be added to the United States economy alone from drone commerce in the coming decade. The research concludes that precision agriculture is the most promising civil commercial sector.</p>
<p>A new Goldman Sachs <a href="http://www.goldmansachs.com/our-thinking/technology-driving-innovation/drones/index.html">analysis</a> forecasts a $100 billion market opportunity for drones—helped by growing demand from the commercial and civil government sectors.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (doing business as PwC), the second largest professional services firm in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, EY and KPMG, <a href="http://www.pwc.pl/en/publikacje/2016/clarity-from-above.html">estimated</a> that the total global addressable value of drone powered solutions in 2015 was equal to $ 127.3 billion, agriculture being the second largest sector with a total addressable market of $ 32.4 billion.</p>
<p><img src="/images/blogpost-01/graph-01.png" alt="Man" /></p>
<p>Drones are going to have huge impact on the way we do business. Do you want to be part of Nicola Tesla’s vision?</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p><strong>Do you want to participate in the drone revolution ?</strong></p>
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</section>Svetlin Simonyansvetlins@agrohelperhq.comThe origin of drones
It all started in Madison Square Garden where Nicola Tesla staged a scientific tour de force during the Electrical Exhibition of 1898. The demonstration was completely beyond the generally accepted limits of technology at this time. His invention took the form of a radio-controlled boat, a heavy, low-lying, steel craft about 120 cm long. Tesla’s boat carried several large batteries on board. Radio signals controlled switches, which energized the boat’s propeller and rudder. More Info